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Mr. Heseltine: Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. The Department has had only one such retirement in the last five years. The details are as follows:
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|Annual compensation
|(rate pa) |lump sum |Compensation payment|of notice (if any)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91
Flexible |0 |43,455 |0 |0
Public Records
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by grade and post those who have responsibility for deciding which internal documents held by his Department should be considered for archiving by the Public Record Office. [21991]
Mr. Heseltine: The Department follows the Public Record Office's recommended practice of reviewing papers when they are 10 years old and, if retained at that stage, again at 25 years old in order to reach a decision as to whether they are worthy of permanent preservation at the Public Record Office.
This two-stage review is carried out by a team of two higher executive officers and 10 executive officers.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the DTI inspectors' report into the share dealing activities of Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare will be passed to the Public Record Office. [21992]
Mr. Heseltine: The Department follows the Public Record Office's recommended practice of reviewing papers when they are 10 years old and, if retained at that stage, again at 25 years old in order to reach a decision as to whether they are worthy of permanent preservation at the Public Record Office.
The report by inspectors appointed under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to investigate dealings in the shares of Anglia Television Group plc will be treated in accordance with the above policy.
The disclosure of information obtained by inspectors under section 177 of the Financial Services Act is prohibited by virtue of section 179 of that Act. Section 5(3) of the Public Records Act 1958 provides for public access to records except when the disclosure of those records is subject to a statutory bar on disclosure such as section 179 of the Financial Services Act.
Small Businesses (Financial Advice)
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for developing the range and diversity of financial advice for small and medium enterprises. [21824]
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Mr. Page: The emerging network of business links across England has a vital role to play in advising businesses on the range of financing options open to them, and in advising the providers of finance and finance services of the needs of growing businesses. A task force of senior members of the financial community has made recommendations to me on the specific services which business links should be offering to their customers in this important area. The implementation of those recommendations is currently being discussed with the business link network with the aim of these services being available across the network from early next year.
Plutonium
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what quantities of plutonium fuel rods have been manufactured at AWE Aldermaston for the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay; when these rods were manufactured; and what safeguards arrangements applied to their production and storage. [22031]
Mr. Page: A total of 29 clusters of experimental PFR fuel were made in a special facility at Aldermaston between 1962 and 1972. The PFR production fuel elements were later manufactured at Windscale. At the time of this campaign Aldermaston was run by UKAEA. The campaign took place before Euratom safeguards or the UK-Euratrom-IAEA agreement came into effect. The UKAEA exercised stringent nuclear material accountancy controls on all materials, including those in question. The plutonium used was part of a stock assigned to the fast reactor programme. The programme had no links to weapons work at Aldermaston.
Iraq
Miss Emma Nicholson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what investigations he has carried out into the activities of Mr. Riad Al Taher; [21693]
(2) what representations he has received from Mr. Riad Al Taher about sanctions against Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [21694]
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Mr. Needham [holding answers 28 April 1995]: We have not had any representations from Mr. Riad Al Taher and have not carried out any investigations into his activities.
Miss Emma Nicholson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assistance his Department will give to the Iraqi-British Interests Group on its forthcoming visit to Iraq; [21701] (2) if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department and Mr. Edmund Sykes; [21692]
(3) if he will make a statement on the forthcoming visit by the Iraqi- British Interests Group to Iraq; [21700]
(4) what requests for assistance his Department has received from the Iraqi -British Interests Group for its forthcoming visit to Iraq; [21702]
(5) if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department and Mr. Stephen Crouch. [21691]
Mr. Needham [holding answers 28 April 1995]: The Iraqi- British Interests Group is an independent lobby group which has no official standing. My Department has no details of any specific visit to Iraq to be made by it. It has not made any requests for assistance in connection with such a visit; nor would we be prepared to provide organisational support for it to visit Iraq. Acts calculated to promote the supply of goods to or from Iraq would require a licence from my Department. Applications are dealt with on a case-by-case basis but licences are normally issued only for exports or discussions relating to goods permitted under sanctions-- that is, humanitarian goods. Any contacts with Mr. Edmund Sykes and Mr. Stephen Crouch have been those necessary for the exercise of my Department's responsibilities.
Lloyd's
Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are his departmental estimates for the liability for payment by Lloyd's names during the years (a) 1995 and (b) 1996; and what are his estimates of how much can be met without recourse to Lloyd's central funds. [22071]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The Department neither needs nor is required to make such estimates in the exercise of its responsibilities under sections 83 to 86 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982. Any estimate of the amounts to be called from Lloyd's names would be speculative as the cash calls on names have yet to be declared during 1995, and the results to be declared during 1996 cannot be predicted with any precision.
Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what supervision his Department will make of those Lloyd's names who have become insolvent and whose calls cannot be supported by Lloyd's funds supervised by his Department. [22072]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Any Lloyd's name who failed to meet the solvency requirement prescribed in section 83 (4) and (5) of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 would become subject to the Secretary of State's supervisory powers contained in part II of the Act. The particular use of those powers would depend on the circumstances of the case, but would include imposition of such requirements as may be desirable to protect policyholders against the risk that the name's underwriting liabilities would not be met.
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates have been made by his Department for Lloyd's losses (a) for 1992 and (b) for 1993 which are (i) called but unpaid, (ii) declared losses but uncalled and (iii) potential losses expected but as yet undeclared; and what impact these estimates would have on determining the solvency of Lloyd's. [22099]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The Department neither needs nor is required to make estimates of the specific figures cited in the question in the exercise of its responsibilities under sections 83 to 86 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982. But in the compilation of the solvency returns all losses, whether or not called and/or paid, will have been brought properly into account in determining the liabilities for solvency purposes, and prudent provision will have been made for losses which have been incurred but not reported.
Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the number of Lloyd's names who could potentially be unable to meet calls on their assets if Lloyd's were unable to stand behind a call. [22073]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The Department neither needs nor is required to make such an estimate in the exercise of its responsibilities under sections 83 to 86 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982. Since all the auditors' certificates required under section 83 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 were furnished in the most recent solvency test, the question did not arise.
Conflicts of Interest
Mr. Milburn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions during the last five years (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21398]
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Each senior official and special adviser is required to make declaration of their financial interests. This enables the Department to prevent potential conflicts of interest arising. In the case of other officials, conflicts of interest are dealt with by their line management. Records are not kept centrally.
Privatisation (EC Funding)
Mr. Milburn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European social fund support since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21299] (2) if he will list those public projects which received European social fund support and were subsequently privatised over the last 10 years, indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21298]
Mr. Page [holding answer 1 May 1995]: European social fund grant applications from the following privatised companies within my Department's area of responsibility have been approved. The grants were for vocational training, guidance and counselling, and
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employment support projects. The information relate to projects approved from 1990. Data for the years before 1990 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
|Grant approved|Year
|£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jaguar cars |217,708 |1990
British Aerospace Dynamics Ltd. |175,341 |1990
British Aerospace (Military Aircraft) Ltd. |23,353 |1990
Rolls Royce plc |241,725 |1990
WALES
Consultants
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what work he has commissioned from consultants Mason, Pittendrigh; what fees he has agreed in respect of this work; and if he will make a statement on the progress of work to date and the fees paid to date to these consultants. [21253]
Mr. Redwood: My Department has not commissioned any work from Mason Pittendrigh.
Equal Opportunities
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities matters. [21470]
Mr. Redwood: I have overall responsibility for the whole Department which includes equal opportunities issues which are integral to many policies. The Under Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones), has responsibility for equality issues and the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), has special responsibility for women's issues and issues relating to disability.
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forward the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna conference in preparation for the fourth UN conference on women; and if he will agree to incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his Department's annual report. [21473]
Mr. Redwood: My Department, in line with other Departments, is committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the fourth UN world conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so.
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The progress of women, ethnic minority and disabled employees through the management grades towards senior posts, along with overall representation and examples of particular initiatives being taken, will be covered in the Welsh Office departmental report for 1996 onwards.Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have put the work of their direct labour organisations out to external competitive tenders; how many and which have not done so; and if he will make a statement. [21573]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: All 45 principal authorities in Wales have put out to competitive tender work carried out by their direct labour/service organisations.
Asthma
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for (a) each health authority in Wales and (b) Wales as a whole the total number of asthma cases treated in the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [20547]
Mr. Richards: Information on the number of individuals treated for asthma in Wales is not available centrally. However, for those treated as in-patients or day cases, the number of completed consultant episodes where asthma was recorded as the principal diagnosis in each of the last three years is given in the following table:
Completed
consultant
episodes-asthma ICD
9 (493)
Health authority
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |895 |796 |872
East Dyfed |397 |496 |542
Gwent |967 |1,099 |1,003
Gwynedd |446 |316 |516
Mid Glamorgan |982 |1,138 |1,154
Pembrokeshire |265 |258 |277
Powys |135 |139 |117
South Glamorgan |1,442 |1,213 |1,421
West Glamorgan |762 |718 |296
|-------- |-------- |--------
Wales |6,291 |6,173 |6,198
Housing Subsidy
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of housing revenue account subsidy for (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94 and (c) 1994 95 for each district council in Wales and for Wales as a whole, in each case showing the percentage change. [21049]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Information on the amount of housing revenue account subsidy paid is as follows:
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Housing revenue account subsidy
|Percentage
|1992-93 |1993-94 |Percentage |1994-95<1> |change 1994-95
|change 1993-94 |over 1993-94
Local Authority |£ |£ |over 1992-93 |£ |(provisional)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberconwy |1,584,274 |1,515,817 |-4.32 |1,524,838 |0.60
Alyn and Deeside |2,520,527 |2,719,472 |7.89 |2,751,136 |1.16
Arfon |2,942,801 |3,116,312 |5.90 |2,825,706 |-9.33
Blaenau Gwent |10,775,958 |11,272,511 |4.61 |11,286,414 |0.12
Brecknock |714,469 |749,124 |4.85 |774,012 |3.32
Cardiff |19,410,690 |19,496,006 |0.44 |21,358,039 |9.55
Carmarthen |2,513,450 |2,160,557 |-14.04 |2,100,450 |-2.78
Ceredigion |1,884,669 |1,786,023 |-5.23 |1,719,132 |-3.75
Colwyn |2,109,823 |2,176,710 |3.17 |2,223,516 |2.15
Cynon Valley |4,947,233 |5,065,626 |2.39 |4,752,984 |-6.17
Delyn |3,620,231 |3,143,508 |-13.17 |2,877,939 |-8.45
Dinefwr |1,246,634 |1,189,524 |-4.58 |1,281,196 |7.71
Dwyfor |840,681 |796,444 |-5.26 |908,360 |14.05
Glyndwr |827,842 |860,859 |3.99 |667,859 |-22.42
Islwyn |5,369,027 |5,281,749 |-1.63 |5,620,094 |6.41
Llanelli |7,044,582 |7,774,394 |10.36 |8,105,862 |4.26
Lliw Valley |4,308,923 |4,136,117 |-4.01 |4,086,333 |-1.20
Meirionnydd |1,061,048 |1,022,707 |-3.61 |967,774 |-5.37
Merthyr Tydfil |6,872,508 |7,523,287 |9.47 |7,976,148 |6.02
Monmouth |3,789,654 |3,611,159 |4.71 |3,503,236 |-2.99
Montgomeryshire |666,527 |474,913 |-28.75 |295,577 |-37.76
Neath |4,776,019 |4,765,055 |-0.23 |5,269,282 |10.58
Newport |11,244,594 |10,794,066 |-4.01 |10,937,908 |1.33
Ogwr |7,692,875 |7,532,193 |-2.09 |7,381,391 |-2.00
Port Talbot |4,749,752 |4,811,834 |1.31 |5,215,911 |8.40
Preseli Pembrokeshire |2,755,958 |2,806,607 |1.84 |3,035,119 |8.14
Radnorshire |555,486 |440,980 |-20.61 |432,229 |-1.98
Rhondda |8,623,018 |8,361,896 |-3.03 |8,229,454 |-1.58
Rhuddlan |1,324,330 |1,453,067 |9.72 |1,603,312 |10.34
Rhymney Valley |10,884,002 |10,823,491 |-0.56 |11,702,169 |8.12
South Pembrokeshire |1,642,291 |1,351,363 |-17.71 |1,457,527 |7.86
Swansea |16,023,302 |16,633,469 |3.81 |18,370,320 |10.44
Taff Ely |6,938,835 |6,735,632 |-2.93 |6,754,749 |0.28
Torfaen |13,117,637 |12,842,923 |-2.09 |12,438,124 |-3.15
Vale of Glamorgan |3,750,776 |3,807,767 |1.52 |3,487,123 |-8.42
Wrexham Maelor |6,998,218 |7,417,009 |5.98 |7,463,257 |0.62
Ynys Mon |4,311,793 |4,309,403 |-0.06 |4,473,262 |3.80
Wales |190,440,437 |190,759,574 |0.17 |195,857,742 |2.67
<1> On-account payments, subject to audit.
Mr. Daffis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of notional rent set by his Department for the pupose of calculating housing susidy for each district council in Wales and for Wales as a whole for (a) 1994-95 and (b) 1995-96. [21050]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Authorities calculate notional rents for subsidy according to a formula in the main housing revenue account subsidy determination for the relevant year, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The notional rents calculated by each authority for 1994 95 and 1995 96 are given in the following table. The figures shown for Wales have been derived from these figures.
Notional Weekly Rent per Dwelling
|1994-95 |1995-96
Local Authority |£ p |£ p
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberconwy |29.06 |31.88
Alyn and Deeside |29.46 |32.29
Arfon |30,71 |33.69
Blaenau Gwent |31.13 |32.96
Brecknock |31.23 |33.81
Cardiff |36.13 |38.96
Carmarthen |32.04 |33.87
Ceredigion |31.69 |33.87
Colwyn |28.60 |31.42
Cynon Valley |29.67 |31.50
Delyn |30.27 |33.10
Dinefwr |28.33 |30.54
Dwyfor |28.88 |30.71
Glyndwr |29.67 |32.50
Islwyn |30.85 |32.83
Llanelli |27.37 |29.19
Lliw Valley |29.67 |31.88
Meirionnydd |28.12 |30.02
Merthyr Tydfil |27.40 |29.23
Monmouth |37.83 |40.65
Montgomeryshire |33.75 |36.58
Neath |28.02 |30.85
Newport |36.31 |38.33
Ogwr |31.81 |33.63
Port Talbot |29.44 |31.42
Preseli Pembrokeshire |30.17 |32.71
Radnorshire |32.75 |35.58
Rhondda |32.56 |34.38
Rhuddlan |29.48 |32.31
Rhymney Valley |31.44 |33.27
South Pembrokeshire |34.06 |36.08
Swansea |28.75 |30.58
Taff Ely |28.67 |31.12
Torfaen |35.04 |36.87
Vale of Glamorgan |34.87 |37.69
Wrexham Maelor |27.87 |30.69
Ynys Mon |28.81 |30.94
Wales |31.32 |33.50
Source:
Local authorities' housing revenue account subsidy claim forms, which
will be subject to audit.
Civil Servants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the individual value of each (a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22074]
Mr. Redwood: There were no early retirements on grounds of limited efficiency for the financial years 1990 91, 1991 92, 1992 93 and 1993 94.
There were two early retirements on grounds of limited efficiency in 1994 95, both on flexible terms. Compensation payments are age, salary and service related. Details are as follows:
Annual compensation |Enhancement of
£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------
14,396 |7,334
7,450 |3,725
Endangered Species
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the population of (a) pine martens, (b) peregrine falcon, (c) hen harrier and (d) sparrowhawk in each year since 1980; and what is his estimateof the amount of damage each species does to gamebirds. [21849]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Annual population estimates are not available for pine martens, hen harriers, peregrine falcons and sparrowhawks. However, specific surveys have been undertaken for these species since 1980 and the most up to date figures for Wales are as follows: (a) Pine martens--less than 50 individuals (1987 88).
(b) Peregrines--263 (1991).
(c) Hen Harriers--16 (1993).
(d) Sparrowhawks--no estimate.
There is no reliable information currently available relating to the effect of these species on game birds.
Health Service Research Director
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further progress he has to report on the appointment of a director for research and development for the NHS in Wales; and if the post will be established as a civil service or as an academic post. [22333]
Mr. Redwood: I understand that the University of Wales college of medicine will shortly be advertising the post of director of research and development for health and social care in Wales. This is a university post and not a civil service appointment.
NHS Waiting Lists
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to have available the full set of data on waiting list figures for those waiting more than six months for their first out-patient appointment and 18 months or more for in-patient treatment for each health authority. [22332]
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Mr. Redwood: The latest available information relates to waiting lists at 31 December 1994 and is shown in the following table. Similar information will be available in June for waiting lists at 30 March 1995.
|Number waiting |Number waiting
|more than six |more than 18
|months for |months for
|out-patient |in-patient or day
Health authority |appointment |case treatment
area<1>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |2,234 |128
Dyfed |2,968 |337
Gwent |4,840 |255
Gwynedd |1,222 |66
Mid Glamorgan |5,475 |347
Powys |636 |18
South Glamorgan |9,258 |363
West Glamorgan |5,747 |145
Wales |32,380 |1,659
<1> Including patients of GP fundholders.
Source:
Welsh Office core performance indicators.
Dredging
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the scientific considerations behind his approval of the extraction of an extra 0.36 million tonnes of sand and other materials from the Nash bank before commencement of the Bristol channel study on the impact of dredging on the coastal environment. [22186]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The favourable Government view to extract an additional 360,000 tonnes from the Nash bank was based on an independent scientific analysis of the environmental monitoring data available as a condition of the current licence. This comprises regular bathymetric surveys of the bank and inspections of 12 local beaches to ensure that there are no adverse effects on beach sediment regimes. The assessment indicated that there was no significant risk to the coastline from the extraction proposed. A study which is expected to commence this year will examine the availability of marine aggregate resources in the Bristol channel, and the environmental consequences of and constraints on their utilisation.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will pay the first instalment of the special grants to new principal councils in Wales. [22519]
Mr. Redwood: My Department will make these payments on or as soon as reasonably practicable after 4 May 1995, in accordance with the provisions of the Special Grant Report (Wales) 1995, approved by the House on 8 February 1995.
Parliamentary approval of this new expenditure is being sought in the 1995 96 main supply estimate for the local government, Wales vote, class XV vote 6. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of £5.85 million on the first instalments of grant to the new principal councils will be met by a repayable advance form the Contingencies Fund.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Afghan Refugees
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking (a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through other organisations, to supply wheat to be sown by Afghan refugees of displaced persons wishing to return to Afghanistan; and how much wheat is to be supplied to such persons over each of the next three years. [22305]
Mr. Baldry: A joint World Food Programme UNHCR/donors food assessment mission to Pakistan and Afghanistan is reviewing food aid needs. Donors, including the EU, will be briefed on their findings in Islamabad on 8 May. On 27 April 1995 the EU approved provision through the WFP of 20,000 tonnes of cereals, 1,000 tonnes of vegetable oil, 1,900 tonnes of sugar and 2,000 tonnes of pulses for resettling Afghan refugees and displaced persons.
We have recently provided wheat supplies at a cost of £1.25 million through CARE for relief programmes inside Afghanistan and will consider further contributions of food aid when needs arise, in consultation with other aid agencies, including the EU.
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 April, Official Report, column 330, what are the minimum and maximum ages of Afghan refugee children in Pakistan who will receive primary education in future; what is the maximum age of Afghan refugee children who have received secondary education hitherto; and if he will make a statement. [22331]
Mr. Baldry: The minimum age for primary education is five years and children tend to leave at the age of 11 or 12. There is no strict leaving age as some children start school older than five. Secondary school education is divided into two levels. Children leave lower secondary or middle school at 14 or 15--that is, after three years--and most leave higher secondary around 16 or 17, although at both levels some graduate at an older age. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Government of Pakistan encourage all children to remain at school as long as possible.
Pakistan's Cotton Crop
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about the causes of the reduction of Pakistan's cotton crop with particular reference to viral infection; what assistance Her Majesty's Government will give in (a) research and (b) direct assistance to combat them; and if he will make a statement. [22326]
Mr. Baldry: We have received reports from both our high commission and scientific staff at the Natural Resources Institute, who are currently working in Pakistan, on all factors affecting the cotton crop in Pakistan. This includes the current problem of leaf curl virus.
Through the NRI, ODA has supported a research project on cotton pest management in Pakistan since 1985. The latest phase of this project started in 1992 and is due to end in March 1996. ODA is also funding a study to determine the scope for further assistance in tackling this problem.
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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Civil Servants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the individual value of each (a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22083]
The Attorney-General: Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. In the last five financial years, there have been no compulsory early retirements in the departments for which I am responsible. The only case of flexible early retirement was in January 1991 when the officer concerned received a lump sum payment of £15,339.39 and an annual compensation payment of £6,343.87.
EMPLOYMENT
Building Societies
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the United Kingdom are in building societies. [21910]
Miss Widdecombe: Information on the number of jobs held in building societies is not separately available. However, there were 171,000 employees in Great Britain in financial institutions other then banking and bill discounting in December 1994.
Age Discrimination
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will investigate the extent to which ageism and age discrimination is acting as a barrier to the 40-plus age group in accessing (a) retraining schemes and (b) United Kingdom and European funding to set up 40-plus employment initiatives; [22054]
(2) what further steps he is taking to counter ageism and age discrimination in the workplace; and if he will make a statement; [22048]
(3) if he will investigate the extent to which ageism and age discrimination are contributing towards long-term unemployment among the 40 -plus age group; and if he will make a statement; [22050] (4) what steps his Department is taking to discourage employers from placing employment advertisements in the national press which specifically request applicants for supervisory, managerial, technical and professional employment from the specific age group 25 to 35 years; and if he will make a statement; [22052]
(5) which laws in the United Kingdom protect people from ageism in the workplace; and what assessment has he made as to the scope for those persons who feel they have been victims of age discrimination to seek legal redress at appropriate levels; [22053]
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(6) what assessment he has made of the extent to which long term unemployment among the 40-plus age group is directly attributable to the prevalence of age discrimination; and if he will make a statement; [22049](7) what is the total annual cost to his Department of initiatives designed to investigate or tackle the incidence of age discrimination in the workplace; and if he will make a statement. [22051]
Miss Widdecombe: The Government are conducting a vigorous campaign, which I lead, urging employers to recruit, train and retain workers on merit, regardless of age. The "Getting On" booklet, published in March 1994, is aimed specifically at employers. We published a further booklet, "Too Old . . . who says?", in January this year, which offers help and advice to older people seeking work or training. The campaign is supported by an advisory group, which I chair, consisting of people with a wide experience of industry and with the problems of age discrimination in employment.
Surveys suggest that ageist practices in recruitment and retention are contributing to the difficulties of older workers. However, there are no barriers preventing the 40-plus age group accessing retraining schemes. The proportion of people aged 51 and over on adult training programmes has steadily increased over the last four years. Training for work, the main training programme, is open to unemployed people up to the age of 63, making it possible for older workers to enhance their skills and make best use of their potential. Access to funding in the UK and through the European social fund for employment initiatives is open to people of all ages with selection on merit. There are several instances where funding has been granted to older workers to set up their own initiatives.
My campaign specifically encourages employers to drop the use of age limits in all advertisements and recruitment. Indeed, it is the first step outlined in the
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"Getting On" booklet. Staff in Employment Service jobcentres have been given clear guidance to challenge the need for age limits on any vacancies they receive and to try to persuade employers to consider jobseekers only on their merits.As for the legal position, employees who believe their dismissal or selection for redundancy was solely on grounds of age can already bring a complaint of unfair dismissal to an industrial tribunal, subject to the normal two-year qualifying period. However, the Government do not believe that more general legislation is the solution. Indeed, this would be as ineffective as it has been shown to be in other countries and would also increase burdens on business, possibly hampering the creation of new jobs. The way forward is through persuasion and voluntary means.
Finally, in 1994 95 the cost to the Employment Department of activities related to the campaign, including the booklets and research undertaken but excluding internal staff costs, was just over £300,000.
Unemployment
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) men and (b) women have been unemployed for (i) less than six months, (ii) more than six months, (iii) more than one year, (iv) more than 18 months and (v) more than two years: and if he will provide a breakdown by the age categories (A) 35 to 40, (B) 40 to 50, (C) 50 to 60 and (D) 60 to 65 years. [22055]
Miss Widdecombe: The latest information available from the labour force survey for Great Britain is given in the following table. Information on levels of claimant unemployment by age and duration of unemployment can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library for the following age bands: 35 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 and over.
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